PENNE PASTA WITH PUMPKIN ALFREDO SAUCE

PENNE PASTA WITH PUMPKIN ALFREDO SAUCE image

Yield 4 people

Number Of Ingredients 20

1/2 white onion finely chopped
1/2 green pepper (bell pepper) finely chopped
1 stalk celery finely chopped
1 medium sized Roma tomato
1 large garlic cloves, minced OR 2 tbsp of minced garlic from the jar
2 tbsp butter
1 whole pumpkin cubed
1 chicken breast cubed
mushrooms sliced
2 cups beef broth
1/2 cup of freshly chopped parsley
2 tbsp oregano
salt and black pepper to taste
2 tsp of ground cloves
1/2 lb of penne pasta
2 tbsp EVOO
1/2 c freshly squeezed lime juice
2 tbsp poultry seasoning
Crushed red peppers to taste
Parmesan as an accompaniment

Steps:

In a large skillet or wok cook the garlic, onion, bell pepper in the butter over moderate heat, stirring, until the vegetables are softened. add the tomato, salt, pepper,oregano, parsley and cloves- stir. Add the pumpkin cubes and let simmer on low heat until pumpkin starts to soften. Slowly add 1/2 c of the broth and return to moderate heat. stirring occasionally, approx. 10min. FOR THE CHICKEN: Wash chicken in water with lemon juice and garlic salt. Pat dry. Cube chicken breast. In a separate frying pan, add your EVOO, (once pan is hot) and poultry seasoning. Stir. Add mushrooms once celery is translucent. On moderate heat add chicken cubes and stir, to coat chicken with seasoning. Squeeze lime over and stir. While the pumpkin mixture is simmering, spoon chicken, mushrooms and celery to it and add the remaining broth, cover and cook on low, occasionally stirring. To a saucepan add alfredo sauce and simmer. Pasta: In large pasta pot bring water, salt and oil to a boil. Add penne and let cook until it is al dente. Drain the penne well. Add the pasta to the alfredo sauce, covering pasta with alfredo. Pumpkin chicken mixture is done when pumpkin is easily picked up with fork, (will be orange/brown in color, there should still be a little sauce left). Divide the pasta between plates and top with the pumpkin/chicken sauce serve it with the Parmesan.I didn't add the pasta to the pumpkin/chicken mixture but it tasted good when mixed together.